Author: katemacuen

Setting a New Year’s resolution is a popular practice for many people. When the clock chimes twelve on January 1st, it’s a chance for a fresh start and an opportunity to begin the New Year on the right foot with the best of intentions guiding you forward.

Doing a quick internet search reveals some of the top resolutions people set in the New Year:

Get fit

Travel to new places

Reduce stress

Learn something new

Spend more time with family

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with new goals and forming new habits. Try taking advantage of opportunities that can help you check off several of your new resolutions at once– I guarantee it will make you feel happy and productive.

I’d also recommend spending time researching unique and off the beaten path activities to make your year unforgettable. Here at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum we not only offer a memorable, one of a kind experience, but can help you work towards some of those 2018 resolutions!

Healthy Habits

Our mile long boardwalk offers visitors a chance to stretch their legs and get in their steps, all while taking in the beautiful scenes of a cypress dome environment. The boardwalk is a continuous loop so feel free to make as many laps as you’d like.

Explore New Places

We are a perfect day trip for locals and out of state visitors alike. A little over an hour from major city hubs like Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Fort Myers, a visit to the Museum will feel like a mini getaway from the hustle and bustle. Don’t forget to stop down the street at Billie Swamp Safari to wrap up your visit with some Seminole fry bread and a buggy ride.

Limit Stress

Walking our boardwalk is not only great exercise but can be a special retreat for visitors to relax and unwind. Several rest stops along the boardwalk encourage you to sit and stay awhile. Spend a few minutes taking in the different animal sounds and the breeze rustling through the tree canopy.

Enjoy a self-guided and self-paced tour of the Museum galleries and make sure to bring a picnic lunch to eat under a traditional chickee (adjacent to the visitor parking lot). Don’t forget to stop and take in a peaceful moment by the crackling fire in front of the Museum as you leave.

Learn New Things

We may be biased, but we think there is no better place to learn then at a museum! The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum strives to foster an understanding and appreciation of Seminole history and culture. We are excited for you to learn about the Seminole Tribe of Florida through collections, exhibits, oral histories, programs, tours and more.

Quality Family Time

If you’re like me, making time for family is important, but it can sometimes prove difficult to pry ourselves away from the everyday responsibilities. Planning activities or outings together can be a great way to get everyone excited and out of the house for some fun. We know your valuable family time will be well spent at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum.

Whatever your goals and resolutions may be for 2018, we wish you all a prosperous and joyful New Year and hope to see you soon!

A treasure to experience during any season, walking the Museum’s mile long boardwalk gives you a wonderful chance to see plant and wildlife distinctive to the Everglades environment. However, winter brings a certain tranquility that is unique compared to the warmer and rainier months. The bald cypress trees have shed their needle-like leaves, opening up the top canopy to clear, bright blue skies. Their tall trunks are in constant sway with the seasonal breeze, creaking back and forth. Take a moment to stand still and stare up at the towering trees. You’ll almost feel like you are floating or swaying too.

Although the cypress are waiting to grow back their leaves, there is no lack of greenery. At first glimpse the dense vegetation all appears to be one color. But look closely, moving to where you can see the sun peek through the leaves and you’ll soon see endless shades of green appear.

The boardwalk is full of life during the winter months. Unlike northern states, South Florida’s pleasant temperatures bring migratory birds to the area, invite alligators to bask in the warm sun, and continue to foster the perfect environment for new plant life.

On your walk, make sure to take the time to look in all directions. You never know who you will see or who might be watching you!

Whatever the season, the boardwalk is sure to transport you away from the hustle and bustle of the every day, opening your eyes to Florida’s true beauty.

Did you know that museums and collecting institutions are only able to display a small percentage of their collections at a time? Space, resources, and the fact that many artifacts cannot stay on exhibit for long periods of time due to preservation constraints are a few of the reasons behind this sometimes frustrating visitor experience. Many museums have made creative efforts to increase a visitor’s access and to share their vast collections through open storage solutions, collection tours, and online exhibitions.

The Tribal Historic Preservation Office has been working hard on trying to increase access into the Tribe’s archaeological collections. Currently, we do not have permanent exhibit space on campus, and although we are working on the development of future exhibitions, we realized there is a need to open our vault doors.

Starting in January, the THPO Collections staff launched a new online program called Artifact of the Month. It’s a way for us to highlight unique and interesting artifacts in the collections that visitors would not normally get to see. At the beginning of each month, a new artifact is chosen and displayed on the THPO’s website and the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum’s Facebook page. The object’s photograph is accompanied by a description and history. In addition, our online visitors will also be able to browse through previous months’ artifacts. The selection process is simple. Artifacts that help tell the in-depth story of Seminole culture and history will be presented and of course staff favorites will be highlighted now and again!

Check Out February’s Artifact of the Month!

By this summer we hope to expand this program by installing an exhibit case in our Archaeological and Conservation Laboratory to display each month’s featured artifact. Our Laboratory can be viewed by visitors through the Observation hallway, which is part of the mile long boardwalk at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum.

For more information and to check out this month’s featured artifact please visit us at